Hiking North Carolina's Mountains-to-Sea Trail Review

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(More customer reviews)I used this book as I went against the grain and attempted the MTS from Blowing Rock to Cherokee-backwards. I guess this is a one way trail! De Harts book is strictly from "left to right". Its plentiful in anecdotal ways and vague in ways that make it occasionally unreliable for the person attempting this trail-especially if you are going "backwards".
On the MTS trail, those seeking deep wilderness experience will have to be very tolerant. Through-hikers seeking to decompress and exit the infrastructuremania (much less human imprint altogether) might find this trail aggravating. If that doesn't get you then the the incredible inconsistency in the quality level of its marking will: some places are marked with excellence and intelligence, others are marked very poorly. No fault of Allen De Hart's.
Although there are many very long walking interludes away from the busy Blue Ridge Parkway, The MTS trail in the mountains is largely defined by this amazing asphalt strip. Hiking alongside, hidden in the woods, this trail has a walker moving within yards of and often with clear sight of a good bit of the BRP(or should I say the Harley Davidson Parkway?)often with incessant and persistent sound of traffic. When not on trail that mirrors the BRP one hikes along a fair amount of forest service road.
From Boone to Gatlinburg there is a spectacular, majestic wilderness with cascading creeks, lush forests, gorgeous waterfalls and timeless vistas. This vast, magical wonderland has been absolutely indundated, dissected, and overrun by bustling auto-tourism, commerce, and modern human living. Walking this trail brings this truth clearly to the user.
The MTS trail links together and passes through much exquisite ground. Without its traffic, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a wonderful,serene place (and would make a terrific trail-ask George Washington Vanderbilt!). If you are seeking to spirit away into a long-distance, primeval experience the MTS trail may not be the walk for you.
De Hart's maps are faint and of minimal use while on trail.

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North Carolina's Mountains-to-Sea Trail offers some of the most rewarding hiking experiences in the East. Covering nearly 1,000 miles, it stretches from Clingman's Dome, the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, to Jockey's Ridge, the largest sand dune on the Atlantic Coast. The route, a mix of some 500 miles of designated and planned hiking trails and 500 miles of state bicycle paths also used for hiking, winds through three national parks, three national forests, seven state parks, two wilderness areas, and two wildlife refuges, as well as farming communities and small towns. The only comprehensive guide to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, Allen de Hart's book allows hikers to hit the trail with confidence. It is organized around thirty-eight trail sections, each with detailed descriptions, maps, and photographs. De Hart discusses terrain, scenery, plant and animal life, rivers and streams, and historic sites; and his "campside stories" introduce hikers to local history and lore. Also covered are parking; provisions, camping, and lodging; rules and regulations; and health and safety tips.

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